Democrats in Texas Senate unite against sanctuary cities bill

Star Telegram ^ | 23 May 2011 | Dave Montgomery

[smokingfrog]

The Texas Senate's 12 Democrats formed a united front against a revived "sanctuary cities" bill Monday as Hispanic leaders argued that it would lead to racial profiling and undercut relations between law enforcement and Latino communities.

Several Hispanic residents from Tarrant County drove to Austin to participate in a rally on the south grounds of the Capitol after the bill appeared to regain renewed momentum over the weekend.

The Rev. Stephen Jasso, pastor of the All Saints Catholic Church in Fort Worth, said the measure would "hurt and endanger" Latino communities.

The bill, SB12, is one of Gov. Rick Perry's top legislative priorities and would allow local law enforcement officers to inquire about immigration status when making arrests. Perry has aimed the measure at so-called sanctuary cities that critics say are havens for illegal immigrants.

But as the Legislature entered its final full week, opponents escalated their attacks on the House-passed bill and said they hope to stop it if it comes up on the Senate floor before the May 30 adjournment.

"We cannot afford this type of divisive legislation and the resulting long-term unsustainable costs to our state and our communities," the Senate Democrats, including Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth, said in a joint letter released Monday.

Senate rules require 21 votes (2/3rds of the 31 senators) to bring up a bill. Although Democrats could block the bill, Republicans who control the chamber could conceivably suspend the two-thirds requirement to push the sanctuary city bill onto the floor for a vote, the bill's opponents said.

Maria Robles of Arlington, a mother of four, said she got up at 3 a.m. to drive to Austin for the rally. About two dozen demonstrators stood along the main walkway, many of them holding U.S. flags and placards denouncing the bill.

[a fool in paradise]

You can’t ask a driver for a photo ID. That would impact minorities and poor people most. Just like voter ID.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“Even Jorge Bush labeled the border watch group, Minutemen....vigilantes.”

---

Actually, the word “vigilante” comes from the Spanish word “vigilante,” which literally means someone who is vigilant (the verb form, “vigilar,” means “to watch closely”), but is usually used to refer to a sentry guard or some such. In fact, the Texas Rangers baseball team is known in Spanish as “los Vigilantes de Texas.” So perhaps President Bush did not mean to ascribe a negative connotation to the Minutemen, who were vigilantly protecting the border while the INS looked the other way.

[itsahoot]

Don’t forget big hair kindly brought all those criminals from NOLO to be your neighboors. No good deed goes unpunished, I guess.

[itsahoot]

Strangely enough, no one talks about it but, Sarah said once that it makes no sense to go to DC and leave the same good old boys there.

[servantboy777]

>>So perhaps President Bush did not mean to ascribe a negative connotation to the Minutemen<<

Well, I'd like to drift off into lala land and conjure up all the warm fuzzy feelings for Bush, but....no, not so much.

When he called the Minute men vigilantes, he was attempting to intimidate anyone that might stand in the way of the open border agenda.

The same goes with the two border agents the feds tossed in prison for defending the border. Bush finally bowed to the pressure and commuted their sentence...no pardon.

If Bush were a real Texan, he’da shut down those borders tight. He chose to keep them wide open.

Curious as to why? Wouldn't be an agenda....would it?